Quotes from Casey

[Scott Lakefield]

Just doing some online browsing, and came across a list of quotes from Casey Kasem. We all know his signature show close, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars," but some of these, clearly culled from interviews, are interesting as well. Enjoy!

Anytime in radio that you can reach somebody on an emotional level, you're really connecting.
Casey Kasem

As you know, in the past several years, month after month, radio has increased its revenues - some of it even coming from Dot-Com advertisers. So, radio is a survivor.
Casey Kasem

Basically, radio hasn't changed over the years.
Casey Kasem

Because of my background in theater and radio acting, I knew that I could make a living as an actor.
Casey Kasem

Before that, they thought talking movies might eliminate radio as well. But radio just keeps getting stronger.
Casey Kasem

But otherwise, music is about a beat and a message.
Casey Kasem

Despite all the technical improvements, it still boils down to a man or a woman and a microphone, playing music, sharing stories, talking about issues - communicating with an audience.
Casey Kasem

For years everyone looked toward the demise of radio when television came along.
Casey Kasem

I did many spots for fast food chains.
Casey Kasem

I had also done a little disc jockeying.
Casey Kasem

I like the storytelling and reading the letters, the long-distance dedications.
Casey Kasem

I must have done about 25,000 promos.
Casey Kasem

I probably would be continuing to do voice-overs, continuing to do cartoon shows, and at the same time I'd probably be on a sitcom or a dramatic television show.
Casey Kasem

I'd like to feel that an advertiser gets something extra when they advertise with us.
Casey Kasem

If the beat gets to the audience, and the message touches them, you've got a hit.
Casey Kasem

Interestingly, songs used to be short, then they became longer, and now they're getting shorter.
Casey Kasem

It's been amazing, the number of commercials that I've done, starting back in 1968.
Casey Kasem

My agent said that I was one of the top three busiest people in the country.
Casey Kasem

My first commercial was for Miller High Life beer.
Casey Kasem

That something extra, I believe, is a certain humanity that comes from upbeat and positive human interest letters and success stories. Advertisers like to be associated with those qualities.
Casey Kasem

The stories are success stories. The letters from listeners often touch the heart and can be inspiring.
Casey Kasem

We gave the show away and in return, we received a certain number of minutes per hour for the three hour show that we could sell to Madison Avenue.
Casey Kasem

We tell stories. We talk about statistics. And in 1978, we added an element of the show that gave it its heartbeat: the long distance dedication.

[at40petebattistini]

This is a great thread that apparently has been forgotten.

Scott, perhaps you can move it to the CASEY KASEM TRIBUTE BOARD.

[doomsdaymachine]

"This is American Top 40, right here on the radio station you grew up with: Music Radio One-Three-Eight.... Oh, f**k!!!"
Casey Kasem

[OldSchoolAT40Fan]

Casey's quote from the final AT20/AT10 broadcast from July 2009:

"I'd like to share with you something I've learned over the years: Success doesn't happen in a vacuum. You're only as good as the people you work with, and the people you work for. I've been lucky; I've worked for and with the very best!"

Also, who can forget his quotation of "Zoinks!" when he voiced a frightened Shaggy on the Scooby-Doo cartoons?

I agree with Pete, it's a good idea for the mods to move this to the Casey Kasem Tribute Board.

[at40petebattistini]

Jul 31, 2012 11:36:13 GMT -5 lasvegaskid said:

Not sure if this question quite fits here but....

For example during last weekend's 1975 show; Casey eloquently described how chart positions are determined by a combination of sales and airplay. Then an hour later, he introed the #1 as "this week's best SELLING song"? Why did he do that when he just explained the process?

kidski,
That's not the first nor last time that happened. And trying to explain it is like trying to prove the charts were 100 percent accurate. But if you insist on an answer then I'll suggest that, even though the tabulation was complex, the "best selling" part -- for a mass audience -- was simple and easy to understand.

[dukelightning]

This is an issue I have been dissecting for quite awhile. In the first 5 shows, Casey went into this long dissertation explaining that the Hot 100 was compiled through sales data from the top 100 record stores and airplay data from 54 radio stations. And at the end of the show, he mentioned sales and airplay. Then on the 6th show, no mention was made of the 54 radio stations or of sales and airplay at the end of show. I never heard him mention airplay again until the spring of 1975 and he's been consistent mentioning it ever since. So what happened between the summer of 1970 and the spring of 1975 as to airplay in the Hot 100 tabulation? Your guess is as good as mine.